Yesterday we looked at how Rob McKenna sees gay marriage as a threat to "stability in society," "families," and "the reproduction of children."

But, um, what about the states that have legalized gay marriage? Have their societies fallen apart? Are their families imploding? Are they wastelands in which children have ceased to be reproduced?

Steve Scher: When you look at other states that have same-sex marriage now, does that change your thoughts?

Rob McKenna: Well, in those states they've reached a different conclusion. And, in a federalist system like we have, states have a lot of powers the federal government doesn't have, and are allowed to implement policies that the federal government isn't involved with. And so it is appropriate to address that on a state-by-state basis, and that's exactly what's happening. We've had that with other kinds of legal issues over the years, and that's appropriate.

So.

To recap: Rob McKenna doesn't think the public's ready for gay marriage (though 51 percent of Americans say they are), warns that state-sanctioned gay marriage would force religious groups to approve of gay marriages (even though he can't really explain how that would happen), and thinks legalized gay marriage would harm "stability in society" (even though he can't show how society has been destabilized in states that have already legalized gay marriage).

You know who he sounds like on this? Michelle Bachmann. Really.

Watch her doing to the states' rights vs. "gay marriage destroys society" dance in Monday's Republican debate and tell me if you see any real difference between her and Rob McKenna on that score.